How Notorious Internet Scammer, Ishola Bagged 235 Years For  Stealing N525m

MICHAEL AKINOLA

A notorious internet fraudster, Scales Olatunji Ishola, has been jailed for 235 years but will be spending only seven years in prison custody for stealing N525m from victims abroad.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, secured the high-profile conviction against  Mr. Scales Olatunji Ishola at the Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The Presiding Judge, Justice Agatha Okeke, sentenced Ishola to 235 years in prison on the 45- count charge on Internet fraud. The Court also ordered EFCC to sell Ishola’s properties and give the proceeds to his victims, who are Norwegians.

The EFCC had arrested Mr. Ishola in 2019 at his Ikota, Lekki residence in Lagos State, based on a petition from the Oslo Police District in Norway against Ishola over the alleged fraud. 
Mr Ishola was described as a notorious international fraudster and accused of internet fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and was dragged before the Court by the EFCC.

He was arraigned in July 2019 on 45-count charges, which bordered on identity theft, money laundering, and conspiracy, according to a statement by the EFCC.Ishola had pleaded not guilty to the charges, setting the stage for the Court trial.

One of the counts reads:“That you, Scales Olatunji Ishola “M”, Meraiyebu Charles “M”(at large), Gabriel Adeyemi Olugbenga “M”(at large), Ojomo Oluwatobi Ayodele “M”(at large) and Adekola Oluwatoyin “M”(at large), between January 2017 to October 2018, in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to convert the total sum of N525,172,580.00 (Five Hundred and Twenty Five Million, One Hundred and Seventy-two Thousand, Five Hundred and Eighty Naira) only, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activities to wit: fraud (Business E-mail Compromise and Identity Theft), and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”

Another count reads:“That you, Scales Olatunji Ishola “M” on or about the 15th day of May 2018, in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud did send electronic messages (email) using emailoffice01@aol.com to one Monica Goulmoen of the Charity Association for providing girls and boys in Kobane with a football pitch, while impersonating a certain Per Ravn Omdal, a former Norwegian Football Association President, demanding the sum of €64,000.00 (Sixty-Four Thousand Euros) to be transferred to you via IBAN GB74HBUK40062132722119 which was paid and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (3)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (4) of the same Act”. EFCC tenders 35 exhibits in Court.

Counsel to EFCC, Barrister Nwandu Ukoha, opened the case for trial on 7th November, 2019 and tendered 35 exhibits through four prosecution witnesses, which were all admitted in evidence against the defendant.He closed the case on January 29, 2021, for the defence to open its defence.

Both the prosecution and defence counsel adopted their written addresses in October 2021, before the court adjourned for judgment.
The EFCC had arrested Ishola on March 20, 2019, based on a petition from the Oslo Police District in Norway, requesting the assistance of the EFCC in investigating a network of Nigerians that had defrauded Norwegian citizens for years.

Investigations revealed that the convict belonged to a syndicate of internet fraudsters, who specialized in Business Email Compromise-BEC.

Delivering judgment on Monday, June 27, Justice Okeke convicted Ishola on all the 45-counts preferred against him by the EFCC and sentenced him accordingly.

The Judge sentenced Ishola to seven years imprisonment on counts one to five, then years imprisonment on counts six to forty-five. The sentence, however, will run concurrently with effect from the date of arrest as ruled by the Court. 

The Court also ordered that the money in the convict’s account be forfeited to Norwegian citizens through the EFCC.

Also, his properties: House No. 6, located on Road 2 West-end Estate, Ikota, Lekki, Lagos State and House No. 10, Donatus Odum Street, Ikate, Lagos State are to be sold by the EFCC and the proceeds restituted to the Norwegian victims.